The Black Sheep Irish Pub grand opening: Gallery

THE Black Sheep Irish Pub had a distinctly emerald tinge on Thursday night, with its official opening and ‘Launch of the Currach.’ Irish ambassador Noel White came with his wife Nessa and sons Daniel, Joseph and Patrick and joined in the festivities, with Mr White officially launching the currach, which hangs above the entrance to the pub’s new function room.

Owner /manager Geoff Gorrick told the Post that the re-launch took many months of planning.

“The food here is great value, and the place now has a great atmosphere and ambience to it,” he said.

“We also have arguably one of the best pub courtyards in Goulburn, and will be starting up regular Sunday lunches and entertainment soon.” Ambassador White also told the Post that it was worth making the trip from Canberra to see the currach and officially re-launch the pub.

“The connections between Ireland and Australia run very deep, with Irishman James Meehan discovering the Goulburn plains with fellow explorer Charles Throsby nearly 190 years ago,” he said.

“Let’s hope the currach becomes synonymous with Goulburn, just as the Big Merino does now!” The ‘currach’ was a fishing boat usually made from lightweight canvas or cow hide, and has been used for fishing and transport around the islands of Ireland for many thousands of years.

The first recorded account of a currach comes from the Roman emperor Julius Caesar in 100 BC, and many early Gaelic accounts tell of large ocean going currachs traversing the North Atlantic.

According to legend, the Irish saint St Brendan the Navigator journeyed across the Atlantic to the Americas 900 years before Christopher Columbus and 400 years before the Vikings.

The pub is located at 100 Hume St, just 700 metres before the Big Merino